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Boston Red Sox Outfielder Jarren Duran has shown his speed on several occasions over his young MLB career, but nothing like Saturday night against Cleveland Guardians.
He did something that no Red Sox player has done in 16 years. In fact, it was the exact same date that Jacoby Ellsbury made it to New York Yankees.
Duran had a pure stealing home against Guardians-Kanden Doug Nikhazy in Boston’s 7-3 victory in the second game in Doubleheader on Saturday night in Cleveland.
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Boston Red Sox left Fielder Jarren Duran (16) steals home under the mark of Cleveland Guardians Catcher Bo Naylor (23) during the third round of progressive field. (Ken Blaze-Preferred Pictures)
The speedster danced out of the third base, and Nikhazy, a left side, couldn’t really see how far Duran was down on the line, because the back was turned towards the bag.
Duran took full advantage of getting off the base, but when he was basically halfway down the line, he put his head down and started sprinting home. Nikhazy quickly lifted his leg and fired a pitch, but Catcher Bo Naylor couldn’t get the mark down until Duran’s right hand crossed the home plate.
“(Third base trainer Kyle Hudson) heard him tell the judge that he was working from the stretch, so I decided I should go to the first pitch,” Duran said when asked why he had stolen home. “It was just to keep the offense going and cause a little chaos. I knew I had it.”
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Red Sox Manager Alex Cora added, “Under the new rules he is kind of the perfect player. We saw a window there and he took advantage of the situation.”
One of the new rules Cora refers to here is that Catcher is not allowed to block the plate with his body, which allowed Duran to dive his head first into the home.
It was not the first time Duran has tried to do this. Last season alone, he tried twice, once against Tampa Bay Rays on May 21, and the other against Chicago White Sox on June 7.
Cleveland Guardians Catcher Bo Naylor (23) rolls away after Boston Red Sox left Fielder Jarren Duran (16) stole home during the third round in the progressive field. (Ken Blaze-Preferred Pictures)
He scored on both attempts, but they were also double stealing, which means another Red Sox player was ironing in second place, which allowed him to go home.
However, this was a straight stealing home, and Rafael Devers, who was in the batter’s box at the time, jumped up and down when the home plate judge called Duran Safe.
“It was really a cool acting and a cool series of events there,” said Pitcher Walker Buehler. “He’s one of the most exciting players in baseball. After watching him a long way, it’s been fun to see him close to this season.”
Even Guardians Manager Stephen Vogt had to tilt his cap to Duran, who he said had done “a heads-up baseball play” after noting his third basseman, Jose Ramirez, was nowhere near the third base to keep Duran close.
Nikhazy could have pulled out the rubber out and fired the ball home instead of going through his usual delivery from the stretch – something he apologizes for in afterwards.
Boston Red Sox left Fielder Jarren Duran (16) rounds the bases on the way to a triple during the second round against Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. (Ken Blaze-Preferred Pictures)
“He had taken a big leap and he started immediately,” Nikhazy said. “At the moment I chose to do the track as opposed to going off. In the end when I saw him, I should have pulled off.”
Duran, the 25-year-old first time All-Star last season, enjoys a solid start to his 2025 campaign as he leads the league with nine stolen bases and three triple. He cuts .256/.316/.388 with a .704 ops over 28 games so far.
